Its Time For Neckwear

Fall- the season for scarves, Starbucks and thankfulness. Scarves are a staple in my wardrobe and I practically wear them year-round but when the appropriate season comes around I am stoked! I have scarves in all sorts of colors, lengths and styles: pashminas, silk, crocheted, cashmere and cotton. As autumncommenced, I excitedly purchased a new scarf adorned with bird silhouettes and as I tied it around my neck I was reminded of a favorite proverb of mine. “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart” Proverbs 3:3

Scarves are fun and serve a cozy fashionable purpose yet I wondered what my life would look like if loyalty & kindness adorned my neck more so? What if the most obvious statement about me wasn’t fashion but was character? Our character does clothe us in essence and makes a statement about who we are and who we serve. Are we clothed in loyalty & kindness year round, regardless of season? If so, Proverbs promises us that we will have favor with both God and man (Prov 3:4).

These verses have been a favorite of mine for years and first spoke to my heart when I was reaching out to students within a particular neighborhood. We had a great team that would go every week to host a student bible study and give free pizza. Sometimes the soil was rocky and tough to sow into however I held onto this promise. I believed that if our team was marked with loyalty (faithfulness & truth) and kindness (mercy & love) that our impact on the students would be lasting and far-reaching to the point of touching the lives of their families.

Sometimes I would share with the students and be faced with nothing but hard, cold faces. When questions were asked and discussion was encouraged, there would be short answers and sometimes snickering. Insecurity would have liked to immobilize me. Religion would have liked me to preach with a harder edge (oftentimes excused as “righteous anger”). Weariness would have liked me to withhold my encouragement and love.

But the Spirit of God would have me to remain faithful and tender. Loyal and kind. It wasn’t always easy. Loving others with no excuses, no limits and no conditions is never easy. In fact, I believe it takes a supernatural work in our hearts to live that way in every relationship (regardless of its depth). But God is so faithful to do the work in us, even so far as giving us heart surgery when we need it most- when it’s the very thing our lives depend upon! “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ez36:26)

A tender heart is vital to live as God desires. From the heart flows life… so often in the form of words. Therefore, our words are usually a great way to determine how healthy our heart is. Words and actions clothed with loyalty and kindness have the potential to move mountains, heal the deepest of wounds and propel you to your future. Loyalty and kindness can open doors and give you influence. Its time we, God’s church, rise and determine to live loyal and kind lives; to stop the backbiting, bickering and resentment. Its time to lighten one another’s load and lift each other’s hands in time of weakness. To honor one another instead of striving and competing against each other. Its time we put an end to our self-absorption and get outside the four walls of our Sunday gatherings. Its time we seek out opportunities to show mercy and kindness to the “least of these”. To love with no strings attached.

Again, God is SO faithful to do the work in us! His spirit is longing to come to fruition in and through us. It’s so freeing to realize who we are and what we do doesn't have to be done through our own power or might. As we live, move, and have our being in Jesus (Acts 17:28), His loyalty and kindness will certainly fill our hearts and overflow with life-giving beauty! As Pastor Jack Hanes recently said, “We live in an age of positioning but its not beautiful. Loyalty is beautiful!” Complete dependence on God is an attractive way to live. When we live this way we become people marked by loyalty and kindness and it is then that others will see and know He is God!

Dreaming His Dream,

Natalie

The month of November has been missions month at my local church, New Hope Worship Center. “Be Hope: Imprinting Lives” was kicked off by our ministry friend and partner, Pastor Jack Hanes from ImagineNations Church in Australia. He preached about loyalty to our Dream Team. It was an incredible message, filled with the reminder of this favorite proverb of mine.

Here are a few of my favorite points:

1. The key to flourishing in friendships, family, jobs and ministry is loyalty!
2. Loyalty is focused on others. It points to the team rather than self-focus!
3. Loyalty uses adversity to confirm commitment (you’re not loyal when there’s agreement or unity)
4. You can never demand it. You can only attract it.